The Warmth of Snow
by MmeLee
Summary: A Christmas Kallura prompt I got from Agent Jelly Legs. The couple that fights together melts together.


_The plane ride back to New York is long and I can't decide whether or not I am happy about it. All I know is I have a hot homemade meal waiting for me._

_I am extremely happy to be going home. It's been way too long. Although the flight frightened me a bit. The area just had a snowstorm and I thought I would slide across the tarmac. Thankfully, the pilot was experienced, otherwise well- we would have crashed!_

_In any event, I'm thankful my taxi is here. I chose not to drive. The drive home would be challenging, especially since it's been years since I drove here. Driving in London is the opposite of here and I would hate to strike someone on the road. Especially this close to Christmas._

_However, death by pine tree or deer is the least of my troubles. I am unsettled. My engagement with Lotor fell through as it should. It hurt. It's hard to face my family. I've talked to my mom and I should be happy to run home in her arms, but I can't help but feel like I failed. Maybe I should have done more. But deep down, I had to leave._

_Lotor is my ex-fiance and is a prick. He's running for political office. My relationship went from one of love and bliss to a large PR campaign for him. There was nothing that I could do right. Hell, I couldn't even have a bachelorette party with my friends._

"_I know you enjoy a soirée Allura, but it's improper gallivanting around London."_

"_Gallivanting? My friends are joining me from home to celebrate. That's hardly gallivanting. I want them to have a good time."_

"_A good time?" He grimaced. That is what I am afraid of. What if the daily mail sees you out having a good time? Don't think me ignorant of your friends plans of strippers and other such nonsense."_

"_Are you jealous?"_

"_On the contrary, dear, I don't want you embarrassing me with your unsavory company."_

"_How dare you?"_

_And that wasn't all. He later went on to crash my bachelorette party and belittled me in front of my friends. We weren't watching strippers, we were only dancing and having drinks at a pub._

"_Allura, what do you think you are doing spending time with this __**Riff Raff?**__ Let's go. You aren't staying here, you'll be nothing but an embarrassment._

_And that's when I lost it._

_"I will do no such thing!" I swear fire spilled out my ears. I was furious._

_"When we met, you were so wonderful, kind and charming. But now, all you do is talk about your campaign and how I am lucky to have you!"_

_"Allura, you are making a scene. It doesn't look good on you. Let's go before you make a fool out of yourself."_

_"Oh piss off!" And… I threw my martini on him. My finishing school teacher would be so disappointed. But it felt good. I'm only sad I wasted such a good drink._

_Needless to say, I stomped out of there with my friends and never looked back. Lotor tried to contact me apologizing with flowers and expensive gifts. He's controlling. If I went back, the disrespectful behavior would only get worse. I refuse to be in a relationship like that. I sent all his gifts back. Well, except for that diamond watch. I kept that._

_Nevertheless, the engagement is off. Although it's the best thing I've done for me, I don't look forward to telling my parents- especially my mom. My mom wants me to get married. I think she's been planning my wedding since birth. And frankly, that's a lot of pressure. "I pray that God sends you a proper husband," she always says in passing._

_No pressure._

_But it **is** pressure. It's like I've been groomed to be someone's good wife all my life. It's her life my Mom tried to fit me into, not my own. It's frustrating._

_My mother is happy living on top of a mountain, running the fireplace cafe with my father. I never wanted that life. I love autonomy. I like being in relationships, but they don't define me._

_I love London, working with nonprofit organizations. Like my father, I have a knack for management. I found an organization that helps people in need and I love it. I met some amazing friends here. My mother didn't fancy me being so far away at first, but eventually she got used to it, especially since I got engaged. She was entirely too happy about this wedding._

_She even made a veil._

_My father wants me to be happy but he also raised me to be independent and a leader. He used to work as a CEO at his own company Altea inc._

_One day, he got tired of it and retired. Although he still has controlling shares, he left most of the work to the new appointees. I think he wanted me to take over and although I have shares myself- I never wanted to be in weapons tech. Eventually, my father realized I had no interest and allowed me to be myself._

_After awhile, the fresh air away from the city made him a better person. He's always been hands off in regards to my life, I think he would be delighted I broke off my engagement._

_He always hated Lotor._

_Arriving onto Altair mountain where my family is still makes me happy. The warm smell of wood burning and crisp air can't be duplicated anywhere else. Not even in London. Because this place has something London doesn't have. My childhood memories._

Allura hugged herself as she exited her taxi. She grabbed her bags to head to her mom's door, only to feel a sudden icy blast burst on her jacket.

A snowball.

"Who the-"

Before she could get the words out, she heard giggles and another snowball headed her way. She ducked. Allura looked around to see who her assailants were. She saw a tan-skinned red-headed boy with a hefty snowball. There was also a girl of the same age and appearance hiding behind a pine tree.

_Looks like Pidge's little ones grew up._

Pidge grew up in the mountain and married a childhood playmate of theirs, Lance.

"Hey! Come back here!" Allura dropped her bags and ran after them with her own snowball. The little girl threw one her way and Allura dodged it. She hurled one off on the little boy and it landed on his head.

Oof.

"Ahh!" He yelled, ducking behind the nearest car.

"Do you surrender?" Allura giggled. She can't remember the last time she had a snowball fight.

"Never!" Just then the little girl threw snowballs at rapid fire hitting Allura's jacket. "OMG!" She ran to duck for cover. These kids are ruthless.

When Allura was gathering up another snowball, two flew over her head in rapid succession.

"Hey no fair!" They yelled in mild frustration.

"What's not fair is you all attacking Allura when she just got here from a long trip. Now run along before I call your parents."

_Keith Kogane. I know that voice anywhere._

They huffed and ran off.

Allura turned around only to bump squarely into his chest. She had no idea he was so close. He was more muscular than she remembered… And handsome. Feeling the blush warm her freezing cheeks, she touched her face instinctively. He grabbed her hands to warm them. Instead, he warmed her whole body. It's been years since she's seen his angelic face.

His eyes resonated gentleness. "You alright Lu?"

"Of course." _Fix your expression Allura_. "What are you doing here?" Allura removed her hands from Keith hands. Allura quickly brushed her coat in nervousness. Anything to wipe the silly expression that is certainly across her face. He picked up her bags from the ground to carry them.

"Wow is that a way to greet an old friend?"

"I- I didn't need you to rescue me. It was just a silly snowball fight with children." Allura stuttered uncharacteristically. She hastily grabbed a bag from Keith and headed up her parents driveway.

"I know but those two can be a handful." Keith walked alongside Allura up her long driveway. "Lance is home with them during the day, while Pidge works at the lab." Keith chuckled a little. "He isn't the best at keeping them out of mischief."

Allura stifled a laugh. "I'll bet. We were like that once."

"Yeah, I remember rescuing you then too."

"I beg your pardon!" Allura exclaimed. "I quite remember you getting rained on by Lance, Pidge and Hunk back in the day." Allura reminded Keith. "It was me that got you out of trouble."

"Ha. I had it under control."

"Uh huh." Allura smiled. "You always say that."

_I was all of five years old when Keith and I met. I hated going back to the city after Christmas, because we were two peas in a pod._

_"Mommy, do we have to go?"_

_"Yes Allura, we must."_

_"But it's not fair! I don't want to leave Keith."_

_My mother would hug me tightly. "I know honey, but you can always write him."_

_And write him I did._

_Luckily for me, we visited the mountain in the summer as well. Keith and I would go out canoeing. I would always say to him, "See you again?"_

_He would always smirk and say "Wouldn't miss it." It always made my day._

_His parents allowed him to accompany me to my prom. He brought me a necklace with a key on it. I cherish it to this day. At the time, I never had a gift from a guy before._

_My parents insisted he stay with us instead of a hotel. I am unsure that was a great idea on their part. Let's just say a lot more happened after the dance than originally anticipated._

_Keith was my first love and we experienced our first time together. I couldn't have thought of a better person to be with that night or ever. I didn't realize how much I really missed him._

_We wrote to each other all the time. But when I got accepted to Oxford and he entered the military, our communication fell apart. As our schedules became more erratic, it got harder to keep dialogue open. Especially when Keith was stationed in other areas of the world._

_One day, I heard he had a fiance and moved to LA. He opened a successful art gallery there. I was crushed. It's not that I thought he would wait for me, it's that I realized how much I loved him. For the first time, it was shown to me that he wouldn't be by my side forever. It hurt._

_So I moved on, or so I thought. I'm home for Christmas for the first time in eons and, Keith is making me feel like a teen again. Part of me avoided coming back because I didn't want to see Keith. I didn't know what's going on with him. He doesn't have social media (he hates it) and I wouldn't allow mother to talk about him. I always felt like she was matchmaking us. It was irritating._

_Besides, hearing his name without being able to inhale his scent, or snuggle up next to him was torture._

"How long you staying?" Keith asked shyly interrupting the awkward silence.

"Two weeks."

"Oh."

Keith stood there on her doorstep shuffling his feet. As if he has more to say. _His hands. Maybe if I just look at them, maybe he won't see how much I miss him. _Allura looked down at his hands and realized he wasn't married. He didn't get married after all. Either that, or he doesn't wear his ring.

"Do you want to come in? I am sure my mother has some cake or another for you to eat."

"No, I'm ok. I probably should check on my Dad." His face grew somber. "He's having trouble moving around since he hurt his knee. I came back here to look after him."

"Oh my, I didn't know that." Allura said embarrassed at her earlier comment. "I'm sorry."

"Your mother didn't tell you?" Keith asked surprised. "She brings us hot food daily. I've been running his Christmas tree farm and selling my paintings on the side. It's been hard to keep up with cooking and my father can only stand so much take out."

_Oh that is how he went from slender to a demigod. Got it_.

"I'm sure. I can only imagine it's been tough since your mom passed."

"Yeah." He looked deep in Allura's eyes. The intensity of their chemistry made the exchange awkward. More silence ensued. Allura stared at the ground avoiding his gaze. The butterflies in her body were at war with her stomach. They were winning. He still makes her weak.

"Well, maybe I'll see you later?" Allura managed to choke out the words. Cursing the cold air for strangling her words when it was really her nerves.

"Yeah." This time Keith looked as if he was going to touch her cheek but thought better of it. But then, he caught a glimpse of something familiar. Keith reached inside the scarf around her neck. The necklace. The one he gave her all those years ago.

"You still wear it?" His voice was of shock and bewilderment.

"Yes of course." She smiled bashfully.

_Damnit. Why does he do this to me!_

"I never take it off." Allura touched her necklace and his hand in conjunction. His eyes met hers for the briefest of seconds, before staring at her lips. It's dawning on Allura that Keith may still like her too. The tension went from 99 to 1,000 in seconds. Her legs are threatening to give out any minute now.

Unable to stand it any longer, Keith closed the distance and kissed Allura on her lips for the first time in years. Allura threw caution to the wind and deepened the kiss. In somewhat heated passion, they almost didn't notice the air became slightly warmer. Just as Allura started to register what was happening, her thoughts were interrupted.

"I always thought you two liked each other."

Allura and Keith jumped apart as if they both touched a hot pan. There her mother stood in the doorway looking like a heart eyed emoji.

"Mom!" Allura exclaimed with a mix of embarrassment and irritation.

"Glad you are home honey." She beamed. "And Keith, always a pleasure."

Keith face turned beet red. "Thank you Mrs. Alston." Keith placed Allura's bags inside and returned his gaze on Allura. "See you again?"

Allura's heart was in her throat. _That was my line!_

"Wouldn't miss it," she breathed. He nodded and as he was leaving, her fingertips brushed his. Her shoulders shuttered from his touch. It's been too long.

Allura's mother hugged her and grinned. "You know, I never liked that Lotor."

Allura sighed from relief. She thought it would be hard to tell her mother her wedding was off. Now it seems like her mother wouldn't care.

"Well, thanks for telling me mom."

Mrs. Alston grinned, "better late than never."


End file.
